5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Courier Service

If you run an online-based business, odds are your courier service is the only actual human interaction most of your clients will have with the company. In other terms, your courier represents your business when making the requested deliveries. As such, choosing the right courier services is therefore of vital importance. Here are five things to consider when selecting a courier.

1. Speed

Think about how quickly you’ll want your packages delivered. If the parcels are needed urgently, a same- day or overnight courier would be the best choice. However, building a relationship with a courier and working together to find a solution that suits you both might be easier if you’re flexible with time.

2. Pricing

The price advertised is not necessarily the final price. Because hidden costs can make a significant difference, commit only after you’ve seen the final price. Shop around for quotes. Some online comparison websites will match you with courier services making similar journeys. Although this could help you avoid costly couriers, the best prices don’t necessarily mean the best services. Before you make a decision, try to get at least five quotes.

Remember, it mostly is about cost and not price. Find out each courier’s guarantee and customer services policy in case things go wrong. Compared to a pre-booking charge, efficient logistics can save you more time and money by streamlining operations, reliving admin and simplifying the booking process. Beware of low-cost service providers. Many of them will cut corners to make money. Instead, choose couriers with a good enough price margin to offer quality services.

3. Tracking

Before you settle on a courier, find out whether the company offers tracking services. With the ability to track the location of all your parcels, you can put your client’s mind at rest in case of delays. More importantly, you wouldn’t want to lose any of your packages. To be on the safe side, find out whether the courier allows you to automate your small business shipping processes.

4. Reviews

Make sure you do your research before you settle on a courier. Start by checking references and reading online reviews. You can find the reviews of past customers in review sites and forums. On the other hand, if you intend to use an independent courier, make sure you ask for references.

5. Professionalism

Making sure your courier projects professionalism in every aspect of the job is of uttermost importance. As the only human interaction with your clients, your courier will be representing your company. Think about their dress code. Having a uniformed courier delivering goods to your customers makes your company more trustworthy. More importantly, you’ll want to consider the quality of customer services offered.

Depending on your needs, using the same company every time might not be possible. For instance, you probably won’t use the same courier for local and international deliveries. Make sure you’ve researched your courier’s policies so that you know what to expect should things go wrong. To learn more, visit Flagship Courier Solutions and learn from their online resources.